Every Heart
by skysenshi
Summary: Tired of being unsure about Miroku’s feelings for her, Sango walks away and searches for a life of her own. Fic highly inspired by episode 78.
1. Prologue :: Chapter 1

**PROLOGUE **

Naraku was dead.

The evil demon that had plagued the lives of so many has now been laid to rest. By the hands of the same people whose lives he had mercilessly destroyed. It was probably the right time to go their separate ways; to continue what they had been doing before Naraku shattered their peaceful dreams. Kagome, who came into this feudal time by way of a mysterious well, could now return to her home. She could now go back to all those "geometry" and "English" that she seemed to be constantly worrying over. Inuyasha, on the other hand, could now go back to traveling and finding a meaning for his existence. But the hanyou had always been hopelessly in love with Kagome. Perhaps now he would visit her more often in the 20th century

And there was _Houshi-sama_.

Sango turned abruptly from the stream where she had been washing her face. She had since learned to acknowledge her feelings for the lecherous monk. Sometimes it seemed that he'd return her feelings, but Sango could never be too sure if he was serious about her or if he was just flirting with her. Miroku had always been one to flirt with anything that dons a skirt. When Naraku was alive, Miroku would always use his "curse" as an excuse to ask every female if she would bear his child. Now that the curse was gone—thanks to Naraku's death—he still hadn't stopped this rather nasty habit.

Leaving Sango with the feeling that she might as well give up on him.

"Sango."

She heard the familiar voice that never failed to make her skin tingle. She looked up to see Miroku's smiling face. She would miss this face. She would miss the way she constantly slapped the smugness written all over it whenever he succeeded in copping a feel of her behind or her chest. She missed the way he would grin lazily every time he would ask her if she could bear his child.

She would miss him.

She walked over to where he was standing, taking in all that she was seeing. His short, pony-tailed mane. His sweet and deceitful yet innocent eyes. His priestly robes It was then that she decided. Yes, it was time for her to go on her way and continue that life she used to live as a demon exterminator. But she would take this memory of him with her. She had to make sure that at least once in her miserable life, there would be a happy memory in store for her whenever she wanted to remember something good.

With this thought dancing in her head, she took Miroku's hands in hers. Houshi-sama was visibly surprised. Never had Sango been bold enough to show her true feelings to the monk. Today was different. Sango slowly led him farther into the woods. Farther. To where the sun didn't shine. To where nobody but the trees and the grass would be witness to what she was about to do.

_Houshi-samaThis is my farewell gift_

**CHAPTER ONE**

Sango was tired. She had been walking for days without food, only stopping by small bodies of water to get herself a drink. She didn't know where else to go. She couldn't return to her village. So many painful memories in there. There was nothing else for her to go home to. Her family had been wiped out by Naraku. Her only supposedly living brother, Kohaku, died on the day that she had exacted her revenge. She didn't have anything else. She only had that memory of Miroku and her adventures with Kagome and Inuyasha.

She stopped by a familiar village. Something was beckoning her. She didn't know what it was, but she felt goosebumps rise on her pallid flesh. She walked slowly to the village entrance and looked around, trying to make sense of what she was feeling.

"Hello, young lady," she heard an old woman call out to her. "Are you lost?"

Sango shook her head. "Are you rebuilding this place?" was all she said in response. The village was obviously surviving the aftermath of a disaster, but the people inside it had the look of hope and optimism. 

The old woman nodded enthusiastically. "Yes. One of Naraku's stronger minions nearly wiped us out, but we're glad the battle's over. Now all we need to do is start over again. We have a good king and I don't doubt that he'd take very good care of us."

Sango smiled at the woman's eager storytelling. "I'm glad it's working well for you," Sango shyly said. She didn't really know what else to ask. Perhaps she might settle here? Help them start anew? That way she could also start her life over without any regrets. She turned to the woman and asked, "Do you happen to know if there's any work for me here? I have been traveling a lot ever since Naraku destroyed my own village. I'm still looking for a place to stay."

Hearing this, the old woman took Sango's hand and led her inside. "From the looks of your outfit, I'd guess you're a youkai exterminator, am I right? Come! Come! Naraku may be dead but that doesn't mean other monsters are soon following his footsteps. We are constantly under attack, too, although Naraku was the one responsible for nearly annihilating us. Oh, by the way, call me Kaoru."

"Hai. My name's Sango." She was led into what seemed to be Kaoru's home and she was asked to sit and make herself comfortable. "I'm not really looking to get paid. I just need a place to stay."

"Do you know how to cook?" Kaoru inquired.

"Ummy cooking's passable. I haven't been able to cook anything fit for a king, if that's what you're thinking."

Kaoru presented her with a rather toothy grin. "Ah, don't worry. I can teach you a few things. I cook for the castle but I'm getting a little too old. Perhaps you can take my place once in a while?"

Sango nodded. She didn't really know how to go about things, but she really needed to start her life over.

"Good!" Kaoru nearly shouted with glee. "We can start touring today, if that's all right with you."

It didn't take long for Sango to adjust to her new way of living. She got up early, as was her usual wont even when she was still a youkai exterminator, and walked to the castle. Kaoru wasn't feeling particularly well today, so Sango had to go over there by herself. It had been two months since she had moved into this village. She had never learned its name or who run the place. She had never even seen the king! The man was always busy with his political affairs, no doubt.

Although she had never met the king before, Kaoru always assured her that he was one of the kindest, gentlest people one would be fortunate to meet. Stillthe assurance did nothing to alleviate her nervousness. What if she ran into him? Would she even know how to conduct herself, now that she wasn't what she once was?

She looked back at Kaoru's house one last time before finally entering the kitchen. The whole village looked vaguely familiar, even this castle, but for some reason she couldn't put a finger to it. Perhaps this was one of the villages she had rescued before? That would probably explain things. Perhaps Naraku had "re-arranged" this place in such a way that it would hardly be recognizable even to the people who lived here.

Suddenly, a wave of nausea washed over Sango. Darn. _Could it be that whatever Kaoru had latched on to me, too?_

"Sango-san?" Momiji, one of the other cooks at the castle, loomed over Sango in concern. "Are you okay?"

Sango steadied her breath. Now was not the time to be sick. Not when Kaoru herself was sick too. She sighed. "I'm okay, Momiji. I just need a glass of water." She was about to get herself some, when both she and Momiji heard a few people screaming outside.

"Youkai! Head for cover, everyone! There's an approaching youkai!"

Within seconds, Sango was outside wielding her hiraikotsu. She had no time to get into her taijiya outfit, which she normally used when in battle, so she was quite relieved to see that it was only a lower-level monster. She could easily defeat it in her "work" clothes. She hadn't counted on her "illness" to take its toll on her body so soon, however. While she was able to slay the monster in a short span of time, her knees buckled as soon as she was sure that it was dead.

"Sango!"

It wasn't Kaoru or Momiji's voice that yelled her name. It was a deep masculine voice that oddly sounded familiar. Sango's surroundings were starting to blur and spin, but she managed to raise her head to meet the eyes of the man who held out his hand to her. She gasped when she realized who it was.

"_Kuranosuke-sama._"

His name was the last word she uttered before she lost consciousness.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: **I will continue in this same chapter. It's just that I ran out of thoughts because I have to watch a Slayers movie in order to write a review for my cousin who owns Animeokashi.Com. OMG! I just wrote the very first chapter of my very first fanfic. Hopefully I'd be able to finish this too! I always start something and not finish it (which is what happened to the countless fanfics that I've tried to write for the past five years but never had the chance to post online). OkehI bet it would be my sister who's going to write the first review. Anyways, I already have the second chapter drafted 'cause I thought that was gonna be part of the first chapter. I changed my mind and will be putting that on the second chapter instead. 

This is just inspired by episode 78, which is probably my most unforgettable part of Inuyasha, even though I've already seen many episodes after it. I couldn't think of a decent title, so I chose Boa Gwon's Inuyasha ending theme. I'm always reminded of Miroku and Sango whenever I hear this. Written on Sunday, October 27, 2002 5:33:31 PM (Philippine Time). I don't own Inuyasha. Rumiko Takahashi is the creative person who made this wonderful series. Ohand I've never seen a single Tagalog episode so please bear with me if my writing is based on the Japanese release of Inuyasha.  



	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO **

_Sango had always been beautiful in his eyes. But today, she was at her loveliest. Miroku stared appreciatively over Sango's glistening skin, as the shy yokai exterminator peeled every inch of clothing that had shielded her from his eyes. He couldn't stop kissing her. He couldn't stop touching her. He couldn't, for the life of him, figure out where his self-control had fled._

_He ran his hands over her hair as she closed her eyes in blissful surrender. He wanted to do this over and over again. Everyday. For the rest of their lives. For Sango to want to do this with himit probably meant that she felt for him the way he felt for her. Now that his curse was gone, he would find the courage to tell her how much she meant to him._

_They had made love fourno, five times that day. He had no idea that he was this insatiable. Nor had he any idea that Sango would make love to him like it would be the last time. He didn't want to think too much. He couldn't get enough of her. Maybe he'd never get enough of her. He trailed his hand down her cheek as the last vestiges of strength left him._

_My Sango._

_This was his last thought as he drifted off to sleep, an equally satisfied Sango resting her head atop his chest._

_He had no idea that Sango was to wake up hours before he would. And that she would dress up quickly and quietly, touch his cheek with tears in her eyes, and finally walk away without a word of goodbye. And he would never know how her heart broke that day._

_But he knew his did._

Miroku woke up with a jolt, beads of sweat trailing down his face. He scowled. _What the hell is this dream that keeps replaying itself recently?_ It had been two months since he'd last seen Sango. He never wanted to think of her again. To do so would only cause him to destroy what modicum of self-respect he had left. To think of her was to be weak. To think of her caused him to wallow in self-pity and despair.

Miroku forced himself to stand up and walk to the nearest riverbank. He didn't realize that he was thirsty until that first drop of water fell into his waiting lips. He took a few more gulps before finally washing his own face. He needed to feel refreshed before embarking on another journey. The next village might well be a few days away from where he was. Maybe there, he could distract himself with youkai-hunting. If he'd be lucky, he'd probably have a few pretty village girls swarming around him, begging him to free them from an unfortunate youkai's nefarious misdeeds.

_Ahwell_, Miroku thought to himself, _life must go on_

Sango woke up with a start. Her body ached all over, her head spinning as if she had been twirled round and round by someone much stronger. Blinking rapidly, she noticed that she was lying inside an unfamiliar room, the scent of Jasmines assaulting her nostrils.

She had just realized that she was dreaming, her traitorous unconscious drifting back to that one blissful moment of madness in Miroku's arms. Why now? Her mind screamed at the injustice of it all. Why now when she had fought for months to forget that Miroku could never be hers. She had to move on. She had to—

"Ah, you are finally awake!" It was Takeda Kuranosuke's voice. Such a proverbial soothing sound could only come from him. Sango now realized that all this time, she had been staying in the village where the young king ruled. She wasn't able to identify the village earlier because it had been entirely defaced by one of Naraku's villainous activities. It was such an irony that she would end up in the domain of this determined man who had long ago promised what her true love couldn't give.

"I had been so worried about you," he continued, concern marring his otherwise gentle countenance.

The usually quiet taijiya tried to sit up. "I'm so sorry for inconveniencing you, Kuranosuke-sama. UmI'm fine, really. I just probably caught a slight flu. Kaoru has it, too."

Kuranosuke moved beside Sango and gingerly took hold of both her hands, clasping them lovingly within his own. "Sango, there is something that you must know" The man didn't know how to continue. He was never the bard. He could never put into proper wording whatever it was that he was feeling or whatever matters needed to be said. He was always a very efficient leader, using words that were always systematic and logical. He had a sense of humor that only he could understand. What he was about to say to Sango, however, was a very delicate matter. Nevertheless, it had to be said.

"Kuranosuke-sama?"

"I really don't know how to tell you this, Sango," he began. "You don't have the flu." He took a deep breath, held on more tightly to her hands, and pressed them towards his palpitating heart. He went on, "You are carrying life within you."

Sango didn't know whether it her nausea or just her recent absent-mindedness that was prolonging her digestion of this information, but it really took her quite some time to realize what the king was trying to say. When it finally dawned on her, she couldn't help flushing, her face quickly turning into a becoming shade of red. She shook her head in denial. _It can't be._

_Miroku._

_I am carrying your child?_

_The baby that you've been asking every other woman to bear for you is living inside of me?_

_Ne, Houshi-sama?_

_Isn't this what you've always wanted?_

"I hope you will forgive me, Sango, but I told the physician who was tending you that I was the one responsible for your condition." This was spoken with such speed, that it took Sango another minute to understand what he was saying. What did he mean? Was he trying to protect her reputation?

"Kuranosuke-sama, you didn't have to—"

"But I must, Sango," he cut her off as politely as he possibly could. "I know I am being selfish. You know that I would never give up." I let go of her hands and looked down at his lap, as if something outlandish had just sprouted from it. "I—"

Sango stared at him in disbelief. She was probably dreaming. She shook her head again, as if trying to clear it from imaginary cobwebs.

"I still want you to be my wife."

"But that would be unfair for you!" the taijiya protested. "You will become father to a child that isn't yours? How can you bear it? How will you bear it?"

He looked at her straight in her eyes, his visage exuding a new form of determination. "I have waited more than eight years for you. And if there's a need for more waiting, I will gladly do it for you. You don't have to give me your answer now, but know this: If you would let me, I can become a good husband to you and a good father to your child." With that, Kuranosuke stood up and walked towards the door. He turned one last time to look at her, his beautiful lily, and whispered in the gentlest voice: "Please think about it."

Sango couldn't do anything else but stare at his back in amazement. Could she really?  


* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: **I apologize to those who have been wanting lemons...oh and those that I left hanging in the first chapter. LOL! I actually started chapter 2 last October 27, 2002 but unfortunately work and wedding stuff got in the way so I was only able to finish this now (December 13, 2002, 1:24PM). I just recently told my "boss" that I would no longer be continuing my contract come January because I will be retiring from the IT Industry to become a full-fledged "housewife" by June (okeh, I know that sounds really funny! ^_^). There are so many work that needs to be done right now, turnovers and stuff... And there's my wedding preps that I have been neglecting recently. *Sigh* Thank gawd for wedding planners! 

Anyhoo, I would just like to warn you guys that it may take quite some time for me to write the next installment. But if you guys would like to read more lemony goodness (written by my favorite roster of authors), you can just visit my website: **http://www.hentaineko.com**. Take note: I'm not much of a lemon writer...well, I used to be when I was still in high school...a decade or so ago. Right now it just feels awkward. I guess I've become too cynical for overly romantic sexual fluff...I now concentrate more on writing anime reviews, both hentai and non-H.

(On a side note, have you ever noticed that high-schoolers are the best writers? Many people lose their flair for word-weaving once they enter the corporate world.) 

Wow...I never really expected reader reviews. Looks like my sister isn't the first reviewer after all. She's the fifth. Ha ha! Gah...I'm still in episode 89. I want more Inuyasha! Takahashi-sensei, you're a true genius!


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